Fort Hays State Softball continues its homestand this week with a non-conference doubleheader against Newman on Tuesday (March 31). Game time from Tiger Stadium is 4 p.m.
The Tigers (17-14, 10-6 MIAA) have won six of their last eight and split the weekend with doubleheaders against Northeastern State and No. 19 Central Oklahoma. FHSU dropped a narrow 5-4 extra inning contest against NSU before run-ruling the RiverHawks, 13-4, and followed it with an eight-inning victory against UCO (3-2) before falling the finale, 4-1.
Amanda Vaupel has raised her batting average over 70 points in the previous 10 games and enters Tuesday's contest as the Tigers' top hitter, holding a .323 average with four home runs, six doubles and 18 runs driven in. Close behind is FHSU's top power hitter,
Tori Beltz. Beltz has nine doubles, six home runs and 26 RBI this season to go with a .320 batting average, a .598 slugging percentage and a .426 on base percentage with 18 walks (a team-high).
Courtney Dobson's .295 average is fourth on the team behind
Jenna Lang (.297), and Dobson is come off a strong week where she hit .417 with six RBI, including the game-winning RBI single in the eighth against Central Oklahoma.
FHSU's rotation has a combined 2.64 ERA with 166 combined strikeouts this season, as all four pitcher hold sub-3.00 ERAs individually.
Paxton Duran (9-6) leads the team in innings pitched (98.2) and strikeouts (107) while holding opponents to a .247 average, starting 15 games this season.
Kelsey Kimminau (7-7) has started 15 games as well, tossing 87.2 innings with 45 strikeouts and a 2.95 ERA. In relief roles,
Savannah Price has given up just four hits and holds a 0.00 ERA in seven innings while
Sarah Cochran's 2.62 ERA has come to the tune of 21.1 innings pitched, 12 strikeouts and a .273 opponent batting average.
Newman (10-24) has won four straight and is led by Courtney Sartin's .393 average on offense. Sartin leads the team with five doubles to go with 13 RBI this season, while Breanna Pingry's four home runs and 14 RBI paces the team. In the circle, Katie Ingles has struck out 53 with a 5.67 ERA and a 5-10 record this season. Jensen Cromer has thrown a team-high 91.1 innings, striking out 45 and walking 40 while compiling a 6.13 ERA and a 5-9 record.
